IMG Citrus adds 2,500-acre grove in Southwest Florida

Vero Beach, Fla.-based IMG Citrus, a citrus grower, packer and shipper, acquired a 2,500-acre citrus grove in Charlotte County, Fla.

This purchase increases its citrus land management in Florida by 27%, totaling 11,387 acres, according to a news release.

Known as the Chiquita Grove, it was originally planted in the 1990s. IMG Citrus renamed it the Imagine Grove, referencing the company brand.

The mixed-use farm property has citrus, vegetables and sod. Citrus varieties include red grapefruit (ruby red, star, flame, and ray), navel oranges and cara cara oranges.

IMG Citrus will plant 60 more acres of grapefruit on the property in the fall, and more new grove plantings are planned, according to the release.

In the next three years, IMG Citrus leaders will invest more than $1.5 million in equipment and property infrastructure. Watermelons could be another commodity for the property.

“There are also a total of 752 acres of wetlands on the property with endless amounts of nature and beautiful wildlife,” co-CEO Melanie Ressler said in the release.

 “This property showcases what really drives our purpose as a farmer. By sustainably managing producing acres and conserving wetlands, we can grow delicious citrus while also diligently conserving our natural resources.”

The Imagine Grove increases IMG Citrus’ holdings in Southwest Florida. Before, the 1,086-acre Avant Grove in DeSoto County’s Arcadia was its only grove in the region.

Integrating a landscape business with the sod at Imagine Grove into the company’s portfolio was another draw. The grove has 60 acres of sod in production, and IMG Citrus leaders plan to restore the sod operation to its full capacity of 219 acres.

The sod will most likely be marketed under the brand Cherrylake, also the name of IMG Citrus’ sister company and a wholesale producer of ornamental trees, palms and shrubs in the Southeast U.S. Cherrylake Inc. also has a landscape construction division and landscape maintenance division.

The property was acquired from the Packers of Indian River, the same company from which IMG Citrus purchased the 3,928-acre Happy Food Grove in 2019 and the 562-acre Sweet 60 Groves in 2017.

IMG Citrus will keep the Packers of Indian River employees, some of whom have 30 years of experience working on the property.

“This property has historically produced very high-quality red grapefruit, for which Florida is well-known,” Ressler said in the release.